Content for teachers and students about robotics in our world. Is robotics the Perfect Platform for 21st Century Learning? Read on!.. Would you like your student robotics activities presented here? Leave a comment or email me. And check out Robotics for Teachers PODCAST @ http://www.roboticsforteachers.com/

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

"ABU DHABI — Robotics surgery for children was debated yesterday by an elite panel of international experts attending the UAE Paediatric Surgeons Conference, first of its kind to be hosted by Abu Dhabi.

The three-day conference themed 'Kids' Safety in the UAE and the Arab World' has been organised by the Medical Services Department in the UAE Armed Forces, in cooperation with the Emirates Medical Association (EMA) and the Arab Association of Paediatric Surgeons.

Delicate surgeries for children will take place at Shaikh Zayed Military Hospital on the sidelines of the conference and will be transmitted live so as to enable international experts from France and other European countries to take part in the operations.

About 80 scientific research papers pertaining to child health and seven sessions will be dedicated to shed light on minimal invasive surgery and robotics surgery, in addition to child abuse, safety and trauma. Participants will be accredited 21 hours of Continued Medical Education (CME) certificate by the American CME Academy.

The participants will discuss a proposal to initiate an annual award named 'Shaikh Zayed Award' for the best Arab paediatric surgeon. A project to set up the first Gulf association of paediatric surgeons, will also be discussed during the conference."

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

From: The StarSheffield expert claims risk from warrior robots"TERMINATOR-style robot warriors could soon be stalking the earth as a result of a new automated arms race, according to a Sheffield University boffin.Professor Noel Sharkey, well known for his appearances on hit TV shows Robot Wars, believes the new generation of weapons being developed around the world pose a real threat to humanity.The robotics expert told the Royal United Services Institute he believed it would not be long before robots became a terrorist weapon to replace the suicide bomber.Many nations are now involved in developing the technology for robot weapons, with the US Department of Defence being the most significant player.According to expert journals the US proposes to spend an estimated $4 billion by 2010 on unmanned systems technology. The total spending is expected to rise above $24 billion.Prof Sharkey said: "The trouble is we can't put the genie back in the bottle. Once the new weapons are out there, they will be fairly easy to copy. How long is it going to be before terrorists get in on the act?"With the prices of robot construction falling dramatically and the availability of ready-made components for the amateur market, it wouldn't require a lot of skill to make autonomous robot weapons."Read the full article at its source:http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/Sheffield-expert-claims-risk-from.3833613.jp

From: ABCnewsJapan Looks to a Robot FutureFar Ahead of Other Countries, Japan Experiments With Robots As Part of Daily Life"At a university lab in a Tokyo suburb, engineering students are wiring a rubbery robot face to simulate six basic expressions: anger, fear, sadness, happiness, surprise and disgust.

Hooked up to a database of words clustered by association, the robot — dubbed Kansei, or "sensibility" — responds to the word "war" by quivering in what looks like disgust and fear. It hears "love," and its pink lips smile."To live among people, robots need to handle complex social tasks," said project leader Junichi Takeno of Meiji University. "Robots will need to work with emotions, to understand and eventually feel them.While robots are a long way from matching human emotional complexity, the country is perhaps the closest to a future — once the stuff of science fiction — where humans and intelligent robots routinely live side by side and interact socially.Robots are already taken for granted in Japanese factories, so much so that they are sometimes welcomed on their first day at work with Shinto religious ceremonies. Robots make sushi. Robots plant rice and tend paddies.There are robots serving as receptionists, vacuuming office corridors, spoon-feeding the elderly. They serve tea, greet company guests and chatter away at public technology displays. Now startups are marching out robotic home helpers...:Read the full article at its source:http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/GadgetGuide/wireStory?id=4370051

Click on book cover for information

Getting Started with LEGO Robotics. Anyone who works with kids can do LEGO Robotics, a rich and highly motivating platform for important STEM Learning! (surprisingly affordable, too) This books explains it all!